Zack Snyder has revisited the controversy surrounding his 2006 blockbuster 300, describing it as 'one of the gayest movies' he has ever made while pushing back against accusations that his latest work promotes fascist ideas.
Speaking in a new interview with Variety, the director reflected on the intense reaction to his latest film, The Last Photograph, before looking back at the political and cultural debate that followed 300. Nearly two decades after its release, Snyder said the hyper-masculine Spartan epic continues to be interpreted in ways that clash sharply with how he views the film himself.
Zack Snyder Responds To The 'Fascist' Label
Snyder said he woke up after the Toronto premiere to find intense discussion about The Last Photograph on X.
According to the director, some of the online commentary went beyond criticism of the film itself, with people calling him a fascist and a homophobe, among other labels. Snyder said he believes some of the reaction is influenced by people's existing opinions about him and his filmmaking style.
He also pushed back directly against the suggestion that he is a fascist.
'Obviously, I'm not a fascist,' Snyder told Variety, while arguing that it can be more attention-grabbing online to attack a filmmaker personally than simply discuss whether a film works.
The comments were made in the context of a wider discussion about how Snyder's reputation has affected the reception of his films over the years.
Why Snyder Brought Up 300
Snyder then took the conversation back almost two decades to the premiere of 300.
The 2006 film, based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, stars Gerard Butler as Spartan king Leonidas and depicts a stylised version of the Battle of Thermopylae. The film became one of Snyder's defining early works and was notable for its highly stylised visuals, muscular cast and heavily comic-book-inspired aesthetic.
Snyder recalled that 300 was also met with controversy when it was shown at the Berlin Film Festival. He said members of the audience booed and walked out, while critics questioned whether the film and its director had fascist undertones.
That experience, he suggested, helped shape how he views the reaction to his work today.
'I Made The Gayest Movie Ever Made'
It was while discussing that earlier controversy that Snyder made his most striking comment.
Recalling a question he said he received at the time about whether he was 'pro-gay or pro-NRA', Snyder said he described himself as 'a tiny bit of both' before adding that he was obviously 'pro-gay'.
He then joked: 'I made the gayest movie ever made.'
When he was pressed on whether he genuinely considered 300 to be the gayest film ever made, Snyder clarified that he regarded it as 'one of the gayest movies ever made.' He also repeated his long-standing joke that people could supposedly enter the cinema straight and leave after watching 300 differently inclined.
The comment is not entirely new. Snyder made a similar observation about 300 in a 2020 Total Film interview, where he described the film in similarly provocative terms and discussed its celebration of masculine physicality.
The Queer Reading Of 300
Snyder's description plays on an aspect of 300 that has long been discussed by audiences and critics: its exaggerated presentation of the male body.
The film depicts its Spartan warriors as highly muscular figures, often wearing minimal armour and clothing, with much of the cinematography focused on their physiques and physical strength.
That visual style has led to 300 being discussed in terms of homoeroticism, although the film itself does not depict a gay romantic relationship. It also contains dialogue and themes that have been criticised for their treatment of sexuality and other groups.
Snyder's comment should therefore be understood as his own deliberately provocative description of the film rather than an objective classification of 300.
The Last Photograph Has Become The Latest Flashpoint
The discussion comes as Snyder promotes The Last Photograph, his latest feature and a self-financed independent project.
The film premiered at TIFF in September 2026 and has already generated significant debate, particularly online. Snyder acknowledged that the reaction has been intense but argued that some commentary is based on preconceived views about him rather than the film itself.
For the director, the response also appears to echo what happened when 300 first reached audiences in Berlin nearly 20 years ago.
